But what is freedom? Freedom from what? There is nothing to take a man's freedom away from him, save other men. To be free, a man must be free of his brothers. That is freedom. That and nothing else. Ayn Rand More Quotes by Ayn Rand More Quotes From Ayn Rand There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism - by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Ayn Rand suicide men mean When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion - when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing - when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors - when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don't protect you against them, but protect them against you - when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice - you may know that your society is doomed. Ayn Rand sacrifice honesty men We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality Ayn Rand oil liberty reality A businessman cannot force you to buy his product; if he makes a mistake, he suffers the consequences; if he fails, he takes the loss. If bureaucrat makes a mistake, you suffer the consequences; if he fails, he passes the loss on to you. Ayn Rand businessman suffering mistake We are born into this world unarmed - our mind is our only weapon. Ayn Rand weapons mind world When you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice, you may know that your society is doomed Ayn Rand sacrifice honesty self If [people] place such things as friendship and family ties above their own productive work, yes, then they are immoral. Friendship, family life and human relationships are not primary in a man's life. A man who places others first, above his own creative work, is an emotional parasite. Ayn Rand productive-work emotional men You can ignore reality, but you can't ignore the consequences of ignoring reality. Ayn Rand consequence reality A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others. Ayn Rand dance teamwork motivational Freedom comes from seeing the ignorance of your critics and discovering the emptiness of their virtue. Ayn Rand emptiness virtue ignorance The difference between a welfare state and a totalitarian state is a matter of time. Ayn Rand differences liberty matter The man who does not value himself, cannot value anything or anyone. Ayn Rand self-worth self-esteem men Political freedom cannot exist without economic freedom; a free mind and a free market are corollaries. Ayn Rand freedom political mind The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Ayn Rand power wisdom men The difference between [socialism and fascism] is superficial and purely formal, but it is significant psychologically: it brings the authoritarian nature of a planned economy crudely into the open. The main characteristic of socialism (and of communism) is public ownership of the means of production, and, therefore, the abolition of private property. The right to property is the right of use and disposal. Under fascism, men retain the semblance or pretense of private property, but the government holds total power over its use and disposal. Ayn Rand power men mean America's abundance was created not by public sacrifices to the common good, but by the productive genius of free men who pursued their own personal interests and the making of their own private fortunes. They did not starve the people to pay for America's industrialization. They gave the people better jobs, higher wages, and cheaper goods with every new machine they invented, with every scientific discovery or technological advance- and thus the whole country was moving forward and profiting, not suffering, every step of the way. Ayn Rand jobs country moving The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities. Ayn Rand humor rights philosophy If one's actions are honest, one does not need the predated confidence of others. Ayn Rand atlas doe needs Do not let your fire go out ... Do not let the Hero in your soul perish ... Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours. Ayn Rand recovery real hero Government 'help' to business is just as disastrous as government persecution... the only way a government can be of service to national prosperity is by keeping its hands off. Ayn Rand government business witty
